From the Start
by Haiku Kitten
Summary: A collection of Kurama/Hiei drabbles. Ratings vary.DISCONTINUED
1. Promp 01 Begginings

(A/N: These drabbles are written in response to the prompts over at impromptu50 on LJ.)

Title: From the Start  
Rating: K+  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: Hiei's trust for Kurama began the night that they first met.  
Prompt: Beginnings

Hiei's trust for Kurama began the night that they first met. When all was said and done, even though Kurama was protecting someone else at the time, Hiei felt like he'd made the most valuable friend he could ever need. Then, Kurama's name had meant nothing to him. It wasn't until later that he realized just exactly how powerful an ally he'd made.

A strange feeling welled up in him when Kurama erased the girl's memories. Maya was a pretty girl by anyone's standards and Kurama had easily given her up.

"Tell me your name and I'll try to remember it."

"It's Kurama."

Because of that first night, Hiei came back to find Kurama. By then he knew that Kurama was Yoko Kurama, the famous thief. However, it was hard to connect the image in his mind of the legendary silver fox to the green eyed boy he'd met in the Ningenkai.

"This guy… he's different," he had thought to himself that first night. People had told him of Yoko Kurama's reputation as a sleep around and the most cunning of liars. Was this sweet guy routine just a façade? Was he not seeing the real Kurama after all?

And then Kurama had said "So you like me after all, Hiei," when he'd returned through the window to bring Kurama his business proposal. Hiei thought then that even if this was all an act, he liked it. He would play into it as long as Kurama felt like keeping the game going. It was the first time he'd ever so blindly placed his trust in someone else.

It hurt so badly when that trust was betrayed that Hiei thought he might go insane. He expected some sort of apology or explanation for it afterwards, but Kurama just smiled his sweetest smile and told him that he'd bargained with Koenma to keep them both out of prison. Hiei forgave him because he still felt the same way about the charming fox as he had from the start.


	2. Prompt 02 Enemies

A/N: Please note, guys, that these are just drabbles, and they don't connect to form a bigger story or anything, it's just me practicing and having some fun with character study.

Title: The Same Metal  
Rating: K+  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "You and I are the same; made of the same metal."  
Prompt: Enemies

He faced the world like every person he met was a new enemy. What other way was there, after all? Didn't everyone want to cause him pain? Didn't they all want to join in making sure that the world's most disgusting abomination knew exactly how worthless he was?

"I'm not an enemy to you unless you are an enemy to me," the red fox said, and the cycle was broken by only one person. "You and I are the same; made of the same metal. People can beat on that metal all they want, and we'll be dented and tarnished, but we'll still be standing."

The dragon had never heard such words before, and they rang in his ears like the chiming of bells. Could it be that this person truly was the same as he? Their fighting styles fit together so well that even without knowing each other previously, they had easily followed and complimented each other's moves. Could it truly be that the fox was an ally?

"Why would people sacrifice themselves for others?" A question forever on the dragon's lips, and though the red fox had done this very thing himself, perhaps it was not a question to which an answer could be given.

"We are really very selfish deep down," the fox replied. "Perhaps it is not for others we are fighting, but simply that we value them ourselves and wish for no one else to take them from us. Perhaps that is why we fight for each other. For who knows if we could ever find another like us?"

So it was that the dragon and the fox formed a bond between them, and the strength of their metal increased tenfold. From then on, they faced their world full of enemies side by side.


	3. Prompt 03 Sticks and Stones

Title: Like Swords  
Rating: K+  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: Words are like swords that can pierce your heart without missing or giving you a chance to parry.  
Prompt: Sticks and Stones

Words are like swords that can pierce your heart without missing or giving you a chance to parry. With the sheer amount of words that have cut me in my lifetime, one would think that I would no longer feel their blows, but each time an insult is sent my way it breaks open old wounds, or makes new ones, and I feel it through my body like a sickness, making my gut twist and hands tremble.

"Sticks and stones might break my bones, but words can never hurt me," Kurama says. I wish I was like him, able to block out those hurtful words thrown my way. He can smile at an insult, never bat an eyelash at being called a blood traitor, never give them the pleasure of seeing him break. He thinks I should be that way as well, probably, for he is always scolding me, telling me to watch my temper. But even then, he uses it to his advantage, pushing my buttons to make me admit things I would not otherwise tell anyone.

If words can never hurt you, why am I shaking so badly, perched on this window sill, as he steps closer to me and whispers those three words?

"I love you."

I should run away this time, or fight back against those words. Maybe I should ignore them. But all I do is stay in my place, frozen by shock. I can't decide whether he's telling me the truth or lying to me, and even if he's telling the truth, what do I do about it?

He comes closer, and then his lips are on mine. The kiss is sweet, tender. Suddenly it all feels right. I can feel his sincerity in the softness of his lips and the gentle grip of his hands on my shoulders.

I guess, for me, actions speak louder than words.


	4. Prompt 04 Jump

(This was just a bit of fun. I mean, I thought about doing something cheesy with the prompt, but then I thought, why not be literal?)

Title: Oomph  
Rating: K+  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: Okay, maybe it had been a little too much oomph.  
Prompt: Jump

"Jump, Kurama," Hiei commanded, standing on the other side of the chasm with his arms outstretched. "It's not that far, I can catch you!"

Of course, the fox was far too proud for that. Caught by Hiei? He would never hear the end of it from Yusuke and Kuwabara, who were standing not far behind Hiei, already snickering. Damn, why was it that he was the only one without the oomph to get over on his own? "There's got to be a tree or something," he insisted. "I could swing over with the rose whip."

Hiei rolled his eyes and stamped a small foot impatiently. "There's nothing! So just jump already!" Sometimes Kurama annoyed the piss out of him. They'd be a lot closer to their destination by now if the fox hadn't spent the last twenty minutes trying to get out of jumping into Hiei's arms.

"Fine, I will!" Kurama snapped back; a little irritable himself at this point. He took a deep breath and then ran forward, launching himself into the air with all the oomph he had in him.

He and Hiei both toppled to the ground, the little fire demon pinned beneath the fox. Hiei stared up at Kurama with wide eyes that said he clearly had not expected that.

Okay, maybe it had been a little too much oomph. Shit, he could have done that on his own!

"Umm… guys?" Yusuke spoke up after a few moments, a grin on his face. "Yeah, you realize this is so much funnier than Hiei actually catching you, right Kurama?"

Kurama groaned and pushed himself up and off of Hiei. Stupid oomph.


	5. Prompt 05 Weapon

Title: Value  
Rating: T  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "I came for that fool because he is of value to me."  
Prompt: Weapon

(Sequal to 'The Same Metal'.)

"_Risking my life for someone else is not something you'll catch me doing."_

The demon at the gate was one that Hiei would have simply killed and thought nothing more of, if it hadn't been for the name that slipped past his lips just before Hiei's katana dealt a fatal blow. The name was enough to stop Hiei dead in his tracks.

"My master has taken the one called Kurama. He sent me to you, saying that he will trade the blood traitor for you, if you are willing."

Hiei narrowed his eyes. "Why would I be interested in trading myself for Kurama?" he demanded. Why should he care that Kurama had been stupid enough to get himself caught? And yet, his stomach seemed to be doing flip flops in his anxiety.

"My master anticipated your response," the demon replied, looking smug. "He said that he will gladly keep your partner if he is no longer of value to you. If you wish to make the trade, he has arranged a meeting place." The demon held up a slip of paper with writing scrawled on it; directions the meeting place. Despite his better judgment, he snatched the paper away. The demon instantly ran, disappearing into the underbrush. Hiei let him go.

--

A smile was on Kurama's face when he saw Hiei approach. He stepped forward, a picture of loveliness in robes of deep green, with his hair red and tumbling down his back like a flame. His wrists were bound tightly in cuffs that bit into his skin so that blood streamed down his hands and dripped to the ground. As the light hit his face, Hiei glimpsed bruises and cuts marring it, never lessening his beauty but giving it a somewhat tragic appearance.

His captor stood behind him, a tall and severe demon with hard eyes. Hiei watched him warily, knowing that if he was strong enough to capture Kurama, he posed a threat. He roughly grasped Kurama's shoulder and sneered at Hiei.

"So it has been discovered, little one," he remarked coldly. "A friend is the best weapon to use against you. How foolish, to allow oneself to become attached to others so that you would sacrifice your own safety for the good of another person."

However, words that the fox had spoken to him years before came back to him, and Hiei allowed a soft smile. "It is only for me that I came," he replied. He looked at Kurama. "An old fool once told me that he and I were made of the same metal. I came for that fool because he is of value to me." Then he directed his attention to the demon. "I will fight for his sake."

END


	6. Prompt 06 Middles

A/N: Hey there guys, just got back from 4-H Camp and I'm in a writing mood. I should be taking a shower right now (I smell pretty bad), but I'm adding more drabbles instead. This one's kind've short, but the next one will be one of the longest that I've written, promise. Thanks for the reviews, keep 'em coming. Compliments make my day.

Title: Kisses  
Rating: T  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "Hiei, I'm in the middle of something."  
Prompt: Middles

"Hiei, I'm in the middle of something," Kurama complained when the fire demon climbed into his lap, blocking his view of the work he'd laid out on his bedroom desk. Hiei smirked up at him and Kurama could have sworn he saw horns peaking out of that ridiculously tall hair.

The little demon leaned in and pressed his lips against Kurama's neck. "Do it later," he murmured. "I can think of more… interesting things to do. Can't you?" It occurred to Kurama that by introducing Hiei to kissing he'd created a monster. All that the little demon ever wanted to do, it seemed, was make out. It was really getting in the way of Kurama's job.

"…Mmm, well, I suppose I could be drawn away from my work for a short while," he replied, gently taking hold of Hiei's face and drawing him back up for passionate kiss. He could feel Hiei smiling into it, really and truly happy for just a moment.

If it meant making Hiei happy, perhaps he could set aside his work.


	7. Prompt 07 Hug

A/N: This story will have multiple parts, but they might not come around for a while. I'm being anal about doing these prompts in order.

Title: Marked  
Rating: T  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "He'd left the window open, like always."  
Prompt: Hug

He'd left the window open, like always. It was late at night and Kurama had long since fallen asleep in his bed with the blankets drawn up around him. He wasn't expecting Hiei to come tonight. The demon hadn't visited in several days and today had been beautiful, no sign of bad weather. Normally, it was bad weather that caused Hiei to seek shelter in the fox's bedroom, or a severe case of boredom.

"Kurama." The voice was soft, so soft that anyone else would have just kept on sleeping. But Kurama had learned the value of sleeping lightly, and even so quiet a sound could disturb him. His eyes flickered open he sleepily looked up at the source of the voice. Wide red eyes stared back at him, set in a pale face that looked more strained than Kurama had ever seen it before.

He sat up quickly, moving to turn on the lamp on his bedside table. A shaking hand closed over his wrist and Hiei shook his head anxiously. "No," the little demon spoke. "Don't… just leave it off." When Kurama started to pull his wrist away again, Hiei gripped it tighter and added, "Please," in a desperate tone.

"What's wrong?" Kurama asked, gazing into Hiei's eyes questioningly. The fire demon's gaze abruptly turned to the floor to avoid that inquisitive gaze. Worry filled the fox. "Hiei, what's the matter?" he asked again, gently pulling his hand out of Hiei's hold and flipping on the lamp. As light filled the room, Kurama realized why Hiei had wanted it off.

There were bruises on Hiei. Bruises on his face, bruises on his arms and chest. Kurama realized with a start that Hiei was missing his shirt and cloak. "What…?" he started to question, but Hiei shrank back from him, his arms wrapping around his waist.

"C-Can I stay here tonight?" Hiei whispered, his voice shaking as badly as his body. He hugged himself tighter as Kurama just continued to stare at him. "Sorry, I'll leave," he murmured, misinterpreting Kurama's silence as he started to turn back the way he came.

Kurama's hand shot out and grabbed hold of Hiei's wrist, causing Hiei to jump slightly. The fox's eyes were locked firmly on Hiei's left shoulder. There was a wound there, a wound that explained everything all too clearly. Realizing Kurama's discovery, Hiei's breathing sped up as he started to gasp for air. Kurama wasn't supposed to know about it! He tried to jerking his hand from Kurama's grasp, but Kurama only held on tighter. "Kurama, let go of me!"

"Who claimed you?" Kurama demanded sharply. Hiei's eyes widened and he jerked again. The need to get away filled him, and he knew he was on the verge of panicking. It wouldn't be the first time that night.

"No one!" he snapped, but he could tell that Kurama wasn't fooled. The fox swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, now fully awake. He started to step closer and Hiei suddenly felt very small and 

helpless as he stared up at his tall friend. The fact that Kurama had obviously figured out his shameful secret made it worse.

Kurama lifted up his free hand and Hiei clenched his eyes hit with the overwhelming fear that Kurama was going to strike him. But why would he do that? What did this matter to Kurama anyway? It wasn't as though they were anything more than friends.

Then Kurama gently wrapped his arm around Hiei's shoulders and released Hiei's wrist to give him a full hug, pulling the small demon against his chest. Slowly, Hiei opened his eyes and stared up at the fox in bewilderment, stiff and trembling in Kurama's hold.

"Tell me who it was so I can kill that person," Kurama requested, his tone deadly even as his touch was gentle and reassuring. Hiei hid his face in Kurama's shoulder. He wasn't ready to talk about it, not yet. Not while the memory was still so fresh in his mind. He shook his head numbly, hoping to get Kurama to drop it.

"Just leave it, fox," he whispered. "It doesn't matter."

"He'll come back for you, Hiei," Kurama replied, sounding panicked. "You know how demons work. If he catches you again…."

Hiei knew he was right. This time he had simply been beaten, albeit more cruelly than he had ever been beaten before, and marked. The next time his abuser confronted him, it would be worse. But Hiei wasn't going to let that happen. "He won't catch me again, fox," he insisted. He was very glad for the fox's arms around him, because he was starting to feel faint. "Just… let me stay here for the night."


	8. Prompt 08 Friends

A/N: First of all, thanks for the lovely reviews. I'm glad you liked that last one. This one is not connected to it, just to tell you ahead of time. Totally different animal. It will definitely have a sequel though (possibly a lemon).

Title: From Us  
Rating: T  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "How could he touch me again after seeing that?"  
Prompt: Friends

He steadfastly ignored them all, cold and emotionless as stone, as he split off from the group upon returning to Genkai's temple. He found a tree not far away and climbed up into it, protected from the world below for a while. A feeling of safety was exactly what he needed right now. If he'd stayed at the temple they would have been all around him, asking if he was okay, if there was anything they could do. After being carried halfway home by Yusuke, he was quite certain that he didn't want to be subjected to any more molly-coddling.

Yusuke, it seemed, had other plans. "Yo, Hiei! What are you doing up there?" he demanded from the ground. When Hiei gave no reply, he hefted himself up into the tree, climbing up to perch beside the little demon. "Man, why are you hiding up here? Come back to the temple, Yukina should look you over."

"I'm fine," Hiei snapped, sending a glare Yusuke's way. "I am unharmed, I am in no pain, and I do not care. I do, however, want some alone time right now, if that's okay with you."

"Man, you could barely walk earlier," Yusuke objected, not about to back down. "Look, I know we're the last people you want to talk to about this, considering… well, we were there. But you made a huge sacrifice for me today and I won't feel right leaving you alone with this."

Hiei wanted so badly to be left alone with this. His shame and fear was overwhelming his senses right now, and he didn't want his teammates to witness any more than they already had. He didn't want Yusuke's guilt or Kurama's pity. He didn't want to see the expression on Kuwabara's face as the human tried to puzzle out how he was supposed to react to this. He didn't want to think about how careful Kurama would be with him after this. Would the fox ever touch him again?

"I only did what was required," he informed Yusuke, trying to keep his voice steady. "We won, and that is what matters. That makes it okay."

"No it doesn't." Yusuke reached out a hand to touch Hiei's shoulder, looking saddened when Hiei flinched away from the contact. "Hiei, rape is never okay."

"Don't call it that," Hiei hissed through gritted teeth, wishing he could just disappear somehow; wishing that this was just a really bad dream. He could still feel those hands on him, stroking his skin and hurting him. He shivered. "It was nothing, Yusuke. Do you understand me?"

"… Come on, man," Yusuke murmured, reaching out to Hiei again. "I'll take you back to the temple, okay? Yukina can heal you… you can get a bath… And then you can go home with Kurama."

Hiei made no move. "What about after that?" he demanded harshly, staring at his hands. "What do I do when we get home and… Kurama doesn't want anything to do with me? How could he touch me again after… after seeing that…?" There was a hint of desperation in his tone.

"It's Kurama. Something like this… it won't change how he sees you." Yusuke forced a smile, even though he didn't feel like smiling at all. "I mean, seriously, Kuwabara's the one that's gonna' be the most freaked out. Kurama's too smart to let this hurt you guys. I promise."

* * *

Piece by piece, he stripped off his clothing. There was dried blood sullying his pants, so he kicked them under the bathroom sink, unwilling to look at them. He steadfastly ignored his reflection in the mirror, knowing he wouldn't like what he saw, and turned on the bathtub water faucet.

"You should have a bath instead of a shower."

Kurama's voice nearly sent him tumbling into the bathtub in his shock. Swiftly, he grabbed a towel and drew it around himself, his cheeks red with embarrassment. "What the hell, Kurama?! What's with coming in here without knocking?!" he groused, glaring at the fox. Kurama looked back at him with a calm smile.

"Ah, Hiei, I just came to bring you this," Kurama replied, holding out a bottle of ointment. "You didn't let Yukina tend to your injuries today, so I'm sure you're still in pain. I would offer to tend them, but I thought you might want to handle this yourself."

The blush on Hiei's cheeks grew even redder and he promptly turned his gaze to the floor. "Just leave it there," he muttered, his gut twisting uncomfortably. All of a sudden he felt… well, mad. "I won't use it, though," he added quickly, looking up at Kurama with fire in his eyes. "I don't need it, you know!"

"Ah, then you want me to take care of it for you?" the fox asked curiously, arching an eyebrow. "Really, Hiei, all you have to do is say so." He took a step forward, ointment in hand, and Hiei took a step back, his eyes widening.

"That's not what I meant!" he replied, his face going white. "Kurama, don't be an idiot! I don't want you to-!"

"Touch you?" Kurama supplied in a sad tone. "Hiei, I know you must be hurting right now, but I hope you would never think that I would do something so deplorable to you as what happened today. I killed that demon for a reason."

Hiei looked away again, clutching the towel tighter around himself. Kurama was right, of course, but he still didn't want the fox to come any closer. "… I need a break," he said, keeping his voice as steady as possible. "From us." All the little touches, holding hands when no one was looking, kissing… all the things they'd done. After all, Kurama had wanted to take their relationship to the next level. They'd planned on it tonight… "Please just… leave me alone for a while."

"…Okay." Kurama turned to go, and as the door closed behind him, Hiei couldn't help thinking that he'd made a huge mistake.


	9. Prompt 09 Puzzle

A/N: Okay, I'm _really _nervous about this one, and yes it's got a big M rating on it, because there is rape. Probably not the best rape scene ever written, but I tried... Heh. ;;;

Title: Pieces  
Rating: M  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: It feels like I'm broken into a million pieces.  
Prompt: Puzzle

(Sequel to 'From Us'.)

It wasn't a mission for Koenma. They weren't in Makai, defending their respective territories. They weren't being the larger than life heroes that people outside their little group seemed to think of them as.

It was a picnic, of all things. Just the four of them, in need of a little time to reconnect, because despite all of the differences between them, fighting side by side had created a bond between them that every now and then needed to be revisited for just a little while. So Kurama had made sandwiches and Yusuke had bought a couple packs of beer, and they hiked out to the middle of nowhere amidst the trees and spent some time drinking and having manly talk.

It was supposed to be that simple. There wasn't supposed to be an attack. Hell, they were half drunk, how were they supposed to fend off an S class demon in that state?

But Yusuke should have known. He shouldn't have let that demon sneak up on him, because then it was Hiei who had to make a choice. Years ago he never would have even thought about it. He would have turned his back on the detective, the fool, even Kurama, because what good were friends if they got you into situations like this anyway?

It was probably the alcohol that made it all a little hazy. He'd never held his liquor well. What was it the demon had said? Had he poisoned them? What was it the demon had planned, though? Surely he hadn't attacked them just to get his rocks off. There was something else he had wanted.

Why hadn't he just refused? Why was it when he looked at his friends, all beaten down and helpless on the ground, he had frozen? Why hadn't he listened to Yusuke when the other had told him to run for it and get help?

"Your friends can't help you right now, little one," he remembered the demon saying. "But I'm in the mood for a little fun, so I'll tell you what. You do me a little favor and I'll let them live. You're the only one I need anyway. What do you say?"

He should have said no.

Now he was, backed up against a tree, realizing just what it was, exactly, that he'd agreed to. He could feel the others' eyes on him from where they all still lay paralyzed on the ground. Why were they watching? Couldn't they close their eyes?

"Take off your clothing," the demon instructed, looking smug. "Slowly. Or one of your friends will die. Maybe the tall one with the ugly face. You wouldn't want that, now would you?"

He stole a glance at Kuwabara, wondering if the human thought he would actually go through with this for his sake. He could see Kurabara's eyes widen as he began to undress with trembling hands. He got 

down to just his pants and boots before his hands fumbled and he had to pause, his instincts screaming at him to get the hell out of there and fast.

"I'm waiting," the demon growled, directing his hand towards Kuwabara, a ball of energy glowing in his palm. "I don't care if he dies or not, kid. This is your only chance to save him."

Hiei unbuckled his belts and stepped out of his boots and pants. Standing naked before his friends and the demon threatening them, he tried very hard not to make some sort of smart ass remark that would get Kuwabara's head blown off. "I don't want them to watch," he said, miraculously managing to keep his voice calm. "I'll do what you want if we step away from here." _Please, please, please don't let them see this. There's a forest all around us, we could go anywhere._

The demon laughed, like Hiei had just told him some hysterical joke. "You don't want them to see you getting fucked for their sake?" he jeered. "Why not, kid? Don't they have a right to see exactly what you're sacrificing for their sake?" Hiei stared at his feet, his hands clenching into fists. "Come on, kid, don't be shy," the demon said with a lusty smirk. "Why don't you give us all a little show? Touch yourself."

"_What?! Fuck you, asshole, if you think I'm gonna' do something like that!"_

He wished he had said that. He wished he'd called it off then and there, maybe even figured out some way to kill the demon without killing his friends in the process. But he hadn't. Instead he'd looked up at the demon with imploring eyes and mumbled, "Just get it over with, okay?"

"Hiei!" Yusuke exclaimed. "You don't have to do this!"

But he did have to, because the three of them had taught him not value himself over others. He stayed stock still when the demon grabbed hold of him, running hands across his skin. "Are the three of you enjoying the show yet?" the repulsive creature demanded, turning Hiei so that he was facing the three of them and slipping his hand between Hiei's legs, groping harshly.

"You're sick," Kuwabara spat, and Hiei's cheeks burned with shame, even though he knew that Kuwabara was addressing his captor.

"Oh, be careful, you'll hurt my feelings," the demon replied, laughing. He took something out of his pocket (a slip of paper?) with his free hand and wrapped it around Hiei's wrist. Immediately Hiei could feel it sucking his remaining energy out of him. "There we go, kid, you're all set," he murmured into Hiei's ear, his lips moving down Hiei's neck, pausing to barely hover above his jugular. Hiei's body trembled with the effort it took to stay still with such a vulnerable area of his body open for attack.

Suddenly the demon's fingers were touching his entrance and he jerked away involuntarily with a sharp cry of surprise, only to find that he couldn't free himself from the demon's hold and then those fingers pushed in and he fought harder. "No! Stop it, get out of me! God damn you, get away from me!"

It hurt, and he briefly glanced at Kurama, remembering how Kurama had asked him that morning if he was ready to take their relationship a step further; if he was ready for sex. Kurama didn't meet his gaze.

"Hold still, brat," the demon snarled, twisting Hiei's wrist harshly. "Or do you want them all dead? You had better stop struggling." His fingers pushed in deeper; trying desperately to get away from them, Hiei pushed himself up on his toes, but to no avail. Then they were pulled out entirely and Hiei sagged in the demon's grasp in his relief.

Something pressed against his back, and he nearly threw up when he realized that it was the demon's erection. The nausea grew when the demon started to push him to the ground, and if he could have escaped at that point, he probably would have run without a second thought to his companions.

The demon took hold of Hiei's own manhood and began stroking it into arousal. "Don't do that!" he growled, trying to squirm away. "Damn it, just take what you want and get it over with!"

"Thought you didn't want me to do that?" the demon questioned mockingly. "You're giving me mixed signals, kid. Maybe you should just tell me exactly what it is that you want me to do. Do you want my dick in your ass?" Hiei stared up at him shock and the demon squeezed his manhood harshly, causing him to yelp. "Do you?"

"Y-Yes," Hiei stuttered, clenching his eyes shut.

"Yes what?" the demon further pried. "Say it or I kill one of them."

Hiei took a deep breath. "I want… your… dick," he spat the word out like it was a mouthful of rancid meat, "in my… in my ass."

A laugh was the reward he got for his efforts. "Well, how can I say no to that?" the demon questioned, unzipping his pants. Hiei clenched his eyes shut as the demon pushed his legs up and apart, leaving him exposed to everyone.

A scream tore out of him as the demon pushed all the way into him. His eyes snapped open to stare up at his captor and were met with a malicious smirk. The demon began to thrust into him and every thrust brought new pain and forced another cry or yelp out of him. The people watching stopped mattering because the pain drowned out everything else. The demon above him grunted with pleasure and he could smell his own blood, making him acutely aware of just how much damage was being done to his body.

_It hurts. It's like he's tearing me apart. _

His head lolled weakly to the side as he attempted to block out what was happening. Yusuke and Kuwabara stared back at him, their faces angry (at him or at the demon, he wasn't sure). It kept him from forgetting, kept him from escaping. He was caught between the rapist and his teammates. Kurama was probably disgusted.

Wait. Where was Kurama? The space the Kitsune had occupied was empty. Alarmed, Hiei looked up at his preoccupied captor.

Just in time to see the rose whip slice off his head. The blood splashed his face with crimson red and he stared numbly past the body as it collapsed on top of him. Kurama met his gaze this time.

He was suddenly aware of the heavy weight crushing him to the ground, his breath coming in short gasps. He could have pushed the corpse off, he was sure, but he still lay frozen on the ground, feeling like he was suffocating while the demon's headless body dripped blood onto his bare skin.

Kurama grabbed hold of the body and hefted it off of him and tossed it to the side. "Shh, Hiei," he murmured, dropping down on his knees to gently take hold of Hiei's hands. "You're alright now. He's dead." He released Hiei's hands to pick up the Jaganshi's cloak and gently draped it over Hiei's body. Hiei came out of his daze slightly and clutched the cloak tightly.

"Eat these." Kurama turned his attention to Yusuke and Kuwabara, pressing a small berry into each of their mouths. "It's the antidote to the poison he darted us with earlier." Hiei's eyes widened slightly. So that was what had happened… "It took me a while to figure out which poison he used. Luckily the antidote's effect is instant."

Slowly, Yusuke and Kuwabara stood up. And then they both looked to Hiei and the little demon wished he could have just sunk into the ground to avoid them. He started to sit up, ignoring the pain it caused. Pain he could handle, now that it wasn't being paraded about in front of his teammates. He reached for his clothing and quietly redressed, aware that all three of his companions were now staring at him.

He turned to them when he'd finished, putting his hands on his hips. "What the hell are you staring at?" he growled viciously. "Bah, I'm getting out of here." He took a step forward and his legs gave out, sending him toppling to the ground. His face red as a tomato, he stayed there, glaring at the ground. "Fuck," he hissed through clenched teeth. "Damn it all to hell."

"Here, let me help," Yusuke spoke up. Before Hiei could react, the detective picked him up, cradling him against his chest like a small child. The fire demon growled softly and his stomach churned again with nausea. He took a deep breath to keep himself from being sick all over Yusuke.

"Put me down, idiot," he grumbled, but his tone was subdued. He wasn't up for the argument it would take to make Yusuke put him down, and he wasn't so sure how far he'd make it on his own anyway. "I'm fine."

"Sure you are," Yusuke replied, trying to stay normal, despite what he'd just witnessed. "We'll just take you to the temple to double check on that."

Hiei gave up and let Yusuke do as he pleased.

_It feels like I'm broken into a million pieces. _

_I doubt I'll get those pieces back together. _


	10. Prompt 10 Treat

A/N: Kay, so this story is probably going to have one more part, then it'll be the end of this little plot. Afterward, I might be doing the next part to Marked. Haven't made up my mind yet.

Title: Good Medicine  
Rating: T  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "You gotta' let us help you with this!"  
Prompt: Treat

(Sequel to From Us and Pieces.)

"It's not that I'm worried," Kuwabara reasoned, lest it seem like he was concerned for Hiei's welfare. That would be horribly out of character for him. It would seem like he'd let the events of last week change his friendship with Hiei somehow. "It's just that he's not acting the way Hiei should act."

Kurama shrugged his shoulders. They were walking together down the street from his apartment. Hiei was at the apartment, sleeping in the guest bedroom that they'd never used before. "I admit that I expected him to leave, Kuwabara. However, I would not know how to accurately predict the after effects of rape. Perhaps he feels safer with the rest of us nearby."

Well, that did make sense, Kuwabara thought. "He's not talking to us, though."

"That's more of a relief to me," Kurama murmured, to Kuwabara's surprise. "It seems like something Hiei would do. He's blocking us out. It must be hard for him to juggle both, though; the need to be near us and the need to stay away. I'm expecting a breakdown soon. It might be wise to keep a close eye on him."

Of course, neither of them was likely to let Hiei know he was being monitored.

--

"I made some dinner," Kurama said. Hiei stared blankly at him from the doorway of the bedroom, then shrugged his shoulders and stepped over to the dinner table to share in the meal. "I made your favorite," the fox offered, trying to get some sort of response from his silent companion.

"Thank you," Hiei replied in deadpan, picking up his chopsticks. Kurama watched his former lover eat, the delicate way Hiei placed every bite in his mouth, as delicately as he handled a sword. Pure, raw skill that was so unusual. But the fire he'd grown to associate it with was gone.

He picked up his own chopsticks. "You know, Koenma made an interesting offer yesterday," he began, as casually as he could. Hiei looked up at him curiously. "Reikai often has to counsel spirits who died to grief or trauma," the fox continued. "Koenma asked me to tell you that you are welcome to their services."

Hiei's chopsticks were immediately slammed down and he stood up from the table, knocking the chair over in the process. He stalked back to his room and slammed the door shut. Kurama heard the click of the lock sliding into place.

--

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Yusuke wanted to know as they hiked their way back up to that place where it had all happened. It had been nearly a week and the body was probably partially decayed, but if they were going to learn the reason behind the attack then they would have to identify him somehow.

Beside him, Hiei gave a curt nod. "Stop treating me like an invalid, Yusuke," he sneered, the cold tone of his voice reminding Yusuke of years ago. "It's more my business than anyone's, and I'll be damned if I don't get a say in it all."

Who could argue with that? "Whatever, man," the detective replied, not one for dwelling on just how, exactly, he should be behaving with Hiei. Aside from a few worried questions, he'd mostly just remained the same. It was easier to block out things like this than to try and work through them. Street kid logic, maybe, but it kept him sane.

The stench of the rotting flesh was nauseating to Yusuke, but Hiei didn't seem to mind it at all. He probably liked it, knowing Hiei. Trying not to inhale too much, Yusuke approached the headless body. The head was gone now, probably carried off by some wild animal. So much for identifying his face. Instead Yusuke rifled through the body's pockets while Hiei poked around in the underbrush that the demon had been hiding in when he darted them.

Suddenly, Hiei gave a sharp cry and backtracked, his eyes wide. Yusuke stood up from where he'd been kneeling near the body. "Hey, man, what's wrong?" he questioned, worried by the panicked expression Hiei wore. He stepped over to where Hiei stood and peered into the brush. The demon's head stared back at him with dead eyes. "Oh, I thought it was gone," he remarked casually. It wasn't the first decapitated demon head he'd seen, after all. "I guess it must have landed over here when Kurama cut it off."

Hiei made no sound in response and Yusuke frowned in confusion. He turned to look at his companion and realized with surprise that Hiei was starting to hyperventilate. "Can't… breathe," the smaller demon choked out, one hand pressed against his heart. "Heart's… beating."

"Hey, Hiei, calm down." Yusuke was at his side in an instant, one arm going around Hiei's shoulders to support him. Hiei had to be really stressed for his heart to speed up enough for him to feel it beating. "What's the matter? It's just a head, Hiei."

Hiei knew that, of course. It wasn't like the demon was going to magically come back to life just because the head was still here. But, somehow, seeing that face again was all it took to trigger the memories he'd been trying to block out for the past week.

Was this a panic attack? Did that demon really terrify him so much that just seeing his face again was having this effect on him?

"Deep breaths," Yusuke instructed, trying to bring him out of it. "Inhale, exhale. You're fine, I promise. He's dead." Hiei fought to get control of himself. And failed. "Hiei, I'm gonna' get you out of here, okay?" Yusuke started to lift him up and Hiei, still fighting to breathe, did not argue. "I knew this wasn't 

a good idea," the detective grumbled as he set to making quick work of the trip back to the temple. "Why d'ya' gotta' be so stubborn about crap like this? Man, you can't do this on your own. You gotta' let us help you!"

_I know, Yusuke, _Hiei thought to himself. Surprisingly, Yusuke's angry words were him back out of the panic attack. _You're right. I really should._


	11. Prompt 11 Lovers

A/N: Thanks for the wonderful reviews. I do so love compliments, they really do make me write more and more of these. On that note, I apologize if this one's a bit crappy. I was up all night trying to kill a cockroach, so I'm a bit sleep deprived.

Title: Decency  
Rating: T  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: Most people would have more decency.  
Prompt: Lovers

(Sequel to From Us, Pieces, and Good Medicine.)

"You just need to rest for a while, Hiei-san," Yukina murmured as she drew the blankets up to his waist and fluffed up the pillows that he was propped up against. Hiei looked back at her with tired eyes. Judging by the purple bags under them, she realized that he hadn't been getting much sleep. "Are you able to sleep as of late, Hiei-san?" she murmured with a gentle tone.

Hiei shook his head wearily. "Nightmares," he croaked out. What was the point in hiding it from her? Everyone knew what had happened. Even his pure, innocent Yukina knew his shame. "Every night I see him again. I thought that sleeping alone would help, but it doesn't."

She nodded in understanding. She always understood, Hiei thought, and he wondered why she cared enough to comfort him about this. After all, she didn't know their connection. She didn't know that he was her brother. And as far as friends went, well, he was certain she couldn't hold his too dearly, considering that he wasn't exactly 'friend' material.

"I'll make you a tonic," she offered with a small smile. "I'll ask Kurama-san to help me prepare it, since he is so knowledgeable about plants; if that is okay with you, of course, Hiei-san."

"It's fine," Hiei replied. "Don't go to too much trouble. I'm fine."

Yukina smiled sadly and shook her head. "I wish you were, Hiei-san," she murmured before leaving the room to set to work on the tonic.

--

"What am I supposed to do?" Hiei growled unhappily to Yusuke when the detective came to visit him. "Am I supposed to pretend it didn't happen and just be the way I was? Am I supposed to be overly happy and cheerful? I don't know how you all want me to behave."

Yusuke sat down beside him, putting an arm around his shoulders. "Ya' know, I'm gonna' let you in on a little secret, Hiei," he said with a solemn expression. "We don't know any more about this than you do. Hell, I don't know how you feel right now. I don't know what it's like to be raped, and I especially don't know what it's like to have my closest friends see it happen. All I can tell you is that we're trying to help you. You know, if they have to make you sleeping tonics for the rest of your life, Yukina and Kurama will see to it that you get one every evening. It's not 'cause they feel sorry for you, either, so don't you dare say it is. It's 'cause they love you."

"What if I don't know how to love them back?" Hiei mumbled, staring at the wall with a look that could kill. "I'm not good with all this mushy crap. I just…"

"You don't have to try and show it, Hiei," Yusuke said. "We all know how you feel. We all know it's hard for you to express it, too. I know nobody has any business asking you to trust them, but… you can trust us, okay? You can trust me, Kurama, Kuwabara, even though he makes fun of you and doesn't understand you… all of us. I want you to feel safe enough to sleep at night when we're nearby. We will protect you with everything we have."

Hiei sighed softly. "That's just it. I don't want this. I don't want to need protection."

--

Three days passed, during which Hiei did not move from the room in the temple that they had placed him in. Each night Yukina gave him a tonic to drink and it allowed him a deep, dreamless sleep which he did not wake from until the morning. He did not like the thought of being so helpless at night, but the thought of arguing with them about it was too exhausting.

On the fourth day, he left the room. He tracked down Kurama, finding the fox out in the gardens back of the temple. Kurama was patiently tending to each individual plant, feeding his energy into them. The gardens were buzzing with life and youki.

"Hiei, it's nice to see you out and about," the fox remarked when he caught sight of Hiei watching him. He wiped the dirt on his hands off on his britches and made his way over to the little demon. "Did you need some fresh air?"

Hiei pursed his lips thoughtfully as he considered his response. "Kurama, you said before that you wanted us to be lovers," he said finally. "I… wanted that, too. If you are disgusted by me now, I will accept that; but if you are willing to wait for me… I think that someday I'll be able to give you that." He braced himself for the rejection to come.

Instead Kurama laughed softly and bent down to lightly kiss his cheek. "What a fool you are sometimes, Hiei," he murmured. "I've been waiting on you this whole time. You don't have to ask. I will wait for you as long as it takes."

Hiei stared at him in shock for a moment before a smirk spread across his own features. "You know, most people would have more decency than to make fun of the emotionally damaged," he remarked. He reached up and pulled Kurama down to give him a quick, chaste kiss on the lips. "I love that you don't."

END


	12. Prompt 12 Cuddle

A/N: Heh, yeah, just another bit of silliness.

Title: More Kisses  
Rating: K  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "It isn't going to kill you to cuddle a little."

Prompt: Cuddle

(Sequel to Kisses, sort of, but can also stand alone.)

"I refuse," Hiei stated bluntly, crossing his arms over his chest in a defiant manner. Kurama arched an eyebrow, taking it as a challenge. He crawled across the bed to his partner. There was no way he was going to go along with this. Normally he just let Hiei do as he pleased, but they were definitely going to have to overcome this particular roadblock if they were to ever advance their relationship.

"Come on now, Hiei, it isn't so bad once you get used to it," Kurama tried to assure the little demon. Hiei scooted backwards, pressing against the headboard of the bed. He glared at Kurama, the look in his eyes promising death if the fox chose to come any closer. "Hiei! Great Inari, it isn't going to kill you to cuddle a little." A tiny spark of gold flashed in his eyes. He suddenly pounced on Hiei, grabbing hold of the little demon and pulling him in for a tight hug.

Hiei was frozen in shock for a moment, but he quickly regained his senses. He squirmed in the fox's hold, trying to get free. "Damn it, Kurama, I said I didn't want to!" he growled. Instead of replying, Kurama leaned his face down and lightly nuzzled Hiei's neck. He kept the demon in a firm, but gentle hold. "Let go of me, you stupid fox!" Hiei howled, blushing a deep crimson. "I'm not okay with this!"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Kurama murmured, pressing his lips against Hiei's to shut him up. At first Hiei remained stiff and unresponsive, but Kurama knew it wouldn't last long. Finally, the demon gave up and kissed back. Kurama smiled and pulled away. "See? Is this so bad?"

"… You didn't tell me that this 'cuddling' had kissing too," Hiei grumbled back, relaxing slightly in Kurama's arms. "We just… hold each other like this, and kiss if we want to?"

Kurama nodded, his smile growing wider. "Well, yes, basically," he replied. "It's just a way to take comfort from each other and relax."

The demon seemed to think about this for a moment. "Well, if there's more kissing, I guess it's okay," he finally grumbled, snuggling up against Kurama's chest.

Kurama grinned full out and tightened his hold on Hiei, breathing a deep sigh of contentment. After a moment, however, a sly look crossed his face.

"…You know, Hiei… sex has kissing too."


	13. Prompt 13 Last Dance

A/N: Hope this one makes sense. No, there's no sequel to it (at least I don't plan for there to be one). It's just a little bit of an... exercise, of sorts.

Title: The Challenge  
Rating: T  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: I need a mate, you jackass!  
Prompt: Last Dance

Hiei left a note for him, weighed down with a rock as a makeshift paperweight, on his nightstand. He found it that evening when he returned home from work at his stepfather's company, immediately noticing the out of place slip of paper. Hiei's handwriting was messy, to say the least, but it was still legible enough for Kurama to decipher it.

_Meet me at the park when you get this._

_-Hiei_

If it had simply been Hiei coming to his window and demanding his audience, Kurama might very well have blown him off, considering how tired and stressed he was from work. However, knowing that Hiei was not one to leave handwritten notes for no reason (in fact, he'd never left one before), Kurama resigned himself to his fate and put his coat back on.

When he arrived, Hiei was easy to find. He was sitting on a bench in plain sight, waiting expectantly for Kurama. His eyes brightened when he spotted the fox and his mouth twitched upwards in a pleased smirk. "Kurama, you came," he remarked instead of a proper greeting.

"Of course I came, Hiei," Kurama replied with a patient smile. Why did it always have to be like this? They were so close, closer than friends or brothers, close enough to have those inappropriate thoughts about each other that occasionally sent Hiei fleeing from Kurama's apartment in embarrassment. And yet, Hiei still seemed surprised by the thought that Kurama really would come running any time Hiei asked him to. "What is it you need? Is there a demon nearby? Surely, if you just wanted to talk, you could have come to the apartment."

"I want you to spar with me," Hiei replied bluntly. He stood up from the bench and slipped off his cloak, draping the material over the back of the bench carefully. His hand strayed to the handle of his katana. "At this moment, I challenge you to a fight, Yoko Kurama."

Kurama blinked at him in surprise, clearly thrown for a loop. He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration when he realized that this was all about Hiei's own personal entertainment after all. "Don't be ridiculous, Hiei," he objected. "I've had a long day at work, and the only thing I want to do right now is go home and sleep before Yukina's birthday party tomorrow. Or have you forgotten about that? You should be resting as well."

Hiei's eyes narrowed slightly. "Of course I haven't forgotten," he growled back, hand gripping the katana hilt firmly now. "Tomorrow, Yukina and I turn another year older. Tomorrow we'll be one hundred years old." Kurama didn't know why that was so significant, he had to remind himself. Kurama didn't know that tomorrow would be his last day as a child, or how it was going to change both of their lives. "As a fighter who must surrender his blade tomorrow, Kurama, I have come to the only person I trust completely, and even… love…" He blushed slightly when Kurama's jaw dropped, but soldiered on 

through his explanation. "I have… come to ask you for a last dance, Kurama. If you defeat me, and if you want me, I… will bond with you as your mate."

"Hiei, what are you going on about?" the fox asked, dumbfounded. "We've never even kissed! And what is this about being a hundred years old? What does that matter?"

The smaller demon put his hands on his hips and huffed in irritation. "Damn it, Kurama, why do you have to make this so fucking hard? It's not gonna' sound as good if I repeat it all, it's a miracle I got through it the first time! Tomorrow I'm an adult! I need a mate, you jackass, and you… well, you always wanted that, didn't you?"

Had he been a human (Yusuke or Kuwabara, even), Kurama would have been disturbed by this admission. However, he was not really a human, and Hiei certainly wasn't. There were certain facts of life when it came to demons that could not be ignored, and mating was one of those. It suddenly occurred to Kurama what Hiei was asking of him; and giving to him.

"… You play the role of a female or submissive in this mating, then?" he asked as he put two and two together and realized that this wasn't just a spar; this was the equivalent of going down on one knee. Normally the female or the less powerful challenged the stronger male (or female, as the case may be) to a spar, which they would fight with all their strength. If the stronger demon won, then the mating could be taken to the next step; marking and the consummation of their relationship.

A pretty blush spread across Hiei's face. "… Koorime thing," he grumbled, clearly unhappy with it himself. "Not that you'll beat me anyway, damn fox. Do you want to fight me, or don't you?" He drew his katana, pointing the blade at his old partner.

Kurama remained silent for a moment, and Hiei's eyes had begun to droop with disappointment when the fox reached into his hair and drew out a seed. He smiled when he saw Hiei's eyes light up as the seed transformed into his signature rose whip. "I accept your challenge, Jaganshi Hiei."


	14. Prompt 14 Fragrant

A/N: Couldn't bring myself to write a sappy piece with this prompt. So I entertained myself.

Title: The Nose Knows  
Rating: K+  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "Hiei, go take a shower."  
Prompt: Fragrant

The fox wrinkled his nose unhappily and pointed to the bathroom. "Hiei, go take a shower," he said, trying to seem casual about it. "You probably haven't had a decent bath in Inari knows how long. You absolutely reek."

Hiei was confused by this, because the truth was, he had just bathed in the bathing pools at Mukuro's fortress a day previous, and he'd done nothing in the time that had passed that would make his body smell bad in any way. And he'd never had a problem with excessive BO.

"I bathed yesterday, Kurama," he objected, walking past the fox to flop down on the couch. "And that's a fine way to greet me, after I've been gone for a week."

"You must have gotten sweaty on your way home," Kurama insisted, seeming just a bit too desperate to sell that theory. "Really, Hiei, it won't hurt you to go take a shower."

There was no way Hiei was going to give in without a proper explanation. "I didn't get sweaty! There's no foul odor on my body. I smell like the air in Makai, the air here, the roast lamb I had for breakfast, and those herbs that Mukuro insists on burning-" He paused when Kurama suddenly scowled and looked away. "… It's the herbs you don't like?" he asked, confused.

"She smells like those herbs too!" Kurama replied with a slight pout. "And now, you smell like her."

Hiei's eyes widened, in realization. "You're jealous," he remarked with a slight smirk. Well, he was going to milk this for all it was worth. "Alright then, fox. Go buy me some sweet snow and I'll consider taking a shower."


	15. Prompt 15 Wake Up

Title: The Aftereffects of Consuming Alcohol in Large Quantities  
Rating: T  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary:  
Prompt: Wake Up

There was a reason why Keiko had been so against the idea of the boys going out for a night on the town. She'd said to Hiei, "You be careful and make sure they don't get themselves totally smashed. Yusuke doesn't know when to quit. I know you won't let them drag you into the stupidity, so just make sure they can get home safely afterward, okay?"

Unfortunately, Keiko had overestimated Hiei's willpower.

As he rose from a previous unconscious stupor, Hiei became aware of one thing first and foremost. He had a headache bad enough to rival the pain he'd experienced when having the Jagan implanted. Was this what Yusuke had been calling a 'hangover' last night? Kuwabara had said they weren't good, too… but last night seemed so fuzzy and far away…

He groaned and snuggled closer to the warm body beside him, inhaling Kurama's scent. It was so nice, being so comfortable and secure like this, he felt like he could have slept for a week, despite his splitting headache.

And then, it occurred to him that he should not be sleeping next to Kurama. And then, it occurred to him that they were both curled up in Kurama's bed together. Embarrassed, he shifted away from the fox, wondering how he'd ended up in this situation.

And then, he noticed that neither of them was wearing any clothes.

He bolted upright in a flash; and immediately wished he hadn't. A sharp pain spread through his body and he grimaced. "What the hell…?"

"Mmm… Hiei, 's that you?" Kurama stirred and slowly pushed himself up, blinking at his shocked bedmate. "What?" he asked, blankly, before noticing Hiei's lack of clothing. "… Oh, fuck."

Hiei flushed bright red. "Fuck is right!" he snapped. "Kurama, why the hell am I in your bed without my clothing? And why am I so damn sore?"

Kurama's look of dismay faded to one of recognition as he began to piece together what had happened the previous night. "… I believe we had sex," he remarked, far too casually. "Well, my apologies, Hiei. Shall we both agree that it meant nothing and put it behind us? In the mean time, lets sleep in a little more."

"We did what?!" Hiei exclaimed. He would have protested further except that Kurama had lain back down and grabbed hold of him, tugging him back down as well. Now he was once again pressed up against warm, comfortable Kurama. Kurama who he'd apparently had sex with last night. "You stupid fox, let go! This is a serious issue!"

"Oh, I don't know about that," Kurama replied with a shrug of his shoulders, never loosening his hold. "We're quite close, after all. I think we can overcome this. Later on today we'll forget that this ever happened, I promise."

He wasn't very convincing. Hiei frowned. "… You know, I don't think you actually want to forget about it," he accused.

"Well," Kurama offered in explanation. "It was hot sex. Or can't you remember?" He smirked when Hiei shook his head. "Oh… well, I suppose I'll have to give you a demonstration…"


	16. Prompt 16 Fire

A/N: Yet another attempt at a rape scene. I have trouble with these, I think. /3

Title: Breaking Fire  
Rating: M  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: OC/Hiei, Future Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: He should have stayed at Kurama's.  
Prompt: Fire

(Sequel to 'Marked.')

He should have stayed at Kurama's. He should have told the fox everything he could about the demon that had marked him, and let Kurama deal with it for him. His pride just wouldn't let him do either of those things, of course. He'd told himself that if the demon came back, he would be prepared.

The demon was incredibly strong. He was one of those mysterious creatures that lurked on one of the deeper levels of the Makai, the ones that you heard about but didn't fully believe in. He'd taken an interest in Hiei, and Hiei had lost their first battle, despite his best efforts. The demon was cruel and sadistic, and Hiei wasn't sure that he wanted him for a mate, so much as a sex slave.

The demon initiated the chase two nights after Hiei had gone to Kurama. The fire demon had already healed from the beating by then, and thought himself prepared to at least outrun the demon. No one he had ever met could match him at his current level when it came to speed.

He ran, hard and fast, through the city and through the park. He passed the city limits in his desperation to escape, fled into the forests that surrounded Genkai's temple and retreated to the tree tops, which propelled him along even faster as he leapt from branch to branch. Still, his attacker kept up and was gaining on him. Hiei was starting to panic.

In mid-leap, he suddenly found himself crashing to the ground, the much larger demon pouncing on him. He hadn't even realized that the demon had caught up to him, and that in itself was a terrifying thought. He didn't hesitate before he unleashed the black dragon on his attacker, point blank.

The demon cackled and spiked his aura. So simple a move and Hiei's best attack was defeated, burning into nothing when it hit the powerful energy crackling about the demon. Hiei resorted to clawing, with both hands and feet, as the body atop of him, screeching out in anger and fear. The demon easily restrained him and jerked his small body upwards, grabbing Hiei's scarf in his mouth and ripping the material away. Next he grabbed a mouthful of Hiei's cloak and the tank top beneath it and ripped again to reveal the slowly healing mark Hiei had gone to great pains to hide.

Hiei let out a scream when the demon's teeth sank into that mark once again, his energy starting to drain from his body and into the demon, making his attacker even stronger. Hiei felt light headed with so much lost energy. He wondered if he would pass out.

The demon's teeth released and Hiei gave a soft gasp of relief. The demon cackled and licked his lips. "Jaganshi Hiei, your bloody is so sweet," he growled out. "You'll make a wonderful mate, little imp." He stretched his tall, dark skinned body as the energy buzz sent tingles of pleasure through his body. A mess of dirty blond hair tumbled down his shoulders and golden eyes peered at Hiei in delight. "Finally, we've gotten to the good part."

"Let go of me, you jackass!" Hiei snarled, once again coming to life and fighting against that iron hold with everything he had. "I'm not up for grabs, you disgusting filth!"

"All unmarked demons are 'up for grabs', foolish child," the demon sneered, pinning Hiei's hands with one hand while the other grabbed a handful of Hiei's cloak and ripped. The article of clothing was pulled away and tossed carelessly aside. "If one is strong enough to catch what it desired one is welcome to claim it. Honestly, I'm surprised you lasted this long. Perhaps most are intimidated by your ruthless reputation." He leaned in and licked Hiei's cheek as though he were licking a lollipop. "It turns me on, though."

Hiei trembled and clenched his eyes shut. "Someone of your strength still lowers himself to such beastlike behavior?" he growled, hoping to at least appeal to the demon's pride, if nothing else.

"It is our way," the demon growled back as he shredded Hiei's shirt to nothing. His fingers ghosted across a nipple and he grinned deviously at the light gasp that escaped Hiei at the contact. "Like that, little one?" he sneered, pinching the nipple harshly.

"Fuck you!" Hiei shrieked, trying to jerk away once more. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't get free. He knew he had no other chance of escape; that he was too far away from town for anyone to hear him and come to his aid.

Rather than make a lewd comment in return, the demon brought his hand across Hiei's face harshly. Hiei tasted blood in his mouth, the blow having busted his lip. The demon holding him dove in for a harsh kiss, hungrily lapping the blood from his mouth and sucking at the wound for more.

The fight was starting to leave him as the need for sleep and recovery pressed on his body. How much longer he could hold out was yet to be seen, but he doubted it was any substantial amount of time. His body started to go lax in the demon's hold.

"Good boy," the demon murmured, sensing Hiei's weariness. He started to unbuckle Hiei's belts, fumbling with them for several moments before giving in and just snapping them. Hiei remained lax, dazed from the harsh attack. When he felt the demon start to slide off his pants, however, he snapped out of it.

"Stop!" he snarled, drawing on the last of his strength to fight back, kicking at the demon desperately. The demon's golden eyes glinted with anger and he grabbed a handful of Hiei's hair, throwing Hiei to the ground.

Panting, Hiei looked back up at the demon in time to see the fist coming at him, but not in time to dodge. The blow caught him in the midriff, knocking the breath out of him. His vision blurred slightly as the demon continued to rain blows down on him, kicking him and punching him. By the time he paused in his assault, every inch of Hiei's body ached. The sound of ripping fabric reached his ears and then he felt his legs being pushed apart.

He screamed when the demon entered him, and kept screaming as his attacker began to thrust in and out. His fingers dug into the ground beneath him as he fought to find some sort of support. This couldn't be happening, this couldn't be real. Oh Kami-sama, this had to be some sort of really bad nightmare, 

because he, Jaganshi Hiei, would never allow someone to do this to him. He would never lose to this perverted bastard.

"Please…" he choked out. "It hurts." His effort earned him a sharp blow across the face and the demon's speed increased.

"I'll be back," the demon told him afterward. "This bond can only be broken by death, boy, so don't try to run away. While I'm alive, you belong to me." Hiei didn't move from where he lay prostrate on the ground. "I'll expect a submissive mate when I return, or I'll have to punish you. Do you understand?"

Hiei nodded numbly. "Y-Yes…"

"Good boy," the demon murmured, kneeling beside Hiei to ruffle the little demon's hair. He pressed a final kiss to Hiei's bruised lips. "Fair well, little one."

The fire demon said nothing; just let himself fall into unconsciousness, lying helpless on the forest floor.


	17. Prompt 17 Denial

A/N: Sequel to Marked and Breaking Fire. Written while author was half asleep.

Title: Something in My Eyes  
Rating: T  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "I never cry!"  
Prompt: Denial

Hiei was used to collapsing after using up all of his energy and then waking later on, completely refreshed. Yusuke poked fun at him and told him he went into hibernation. He didn't really didn't care what his associates thought about it, though; they were the unlucky fools who had to stay awake during healing. And it also took them twice as long to recover.

This time, however, was different from all the other times he'd woken from a healing sleep. His body was still stiff with pain and his youki was dangerously low. He groaned softly, wishing he could go back to sleep and escape it, but he knew he couldn't continue to simply lay there in the middle of Genkai's forest. There were demons about. Why hadn't they already pounced on him?

His stomach twisted uncomfortably when he realized that it was probably the bite mark that had kept them all away. It warned them that he belonged to someone who could kill them with ease.

He forced himself up into a sitting position and nearly screamed aloud at the pain it caused him. With shaking hands, he pushed himself up on the ground and onto trembling legs. Blood slid down his leg and into his line of vision. His stomach lurched at the sight and he suddenly found himself clinging to a tree while he vomited out the contents of his stomach.

Standing straight again, he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and tried to think logically about what he should do next. Where should he go? The temple couldn't be too far away, but the only person that lived there now since Genkai passed away was Yukina. He was nearly sick again at the thought of going to his innocent, pure sister for help with this. He couldn't go to Yusuke or Kuwabara, either. He refused to let them see him in such a vulnerable state. What would they think, anyway? Would they laugh? Would they be disgusted?

They'd probably be disgusted. If they didn't already think he was a worthless wretch of a creature, this was certain to clinch the deal. There was no way he could show up on Yusuke's doorstep with blood and semen running down his legs, asking for help. Hell, would the detective even let him in the door?

_Of course he would, you dumbass,_ he mentally scolded himself. _It's Yusuke; he couldn't turn down Toguro if the man turned up at his door covered in bruises. _Yusuke had a heart of gold. When he really thought about it, Kuwabara wouldn't turn him away. He would be awkward and uncertain, but he would fumble around and do his best to help Hiei.

He couldn't ask that of either of them, though. And that left no one but Kurama.

Kurama already knew he'd been marked. Kurama had begged him for the name of his attacker, or at least a description and he'd refused to give the kitsune either of those. He didn't know the demon's name, but the image of him was now seared into his mind like a cattle brand. It was a permanent scar, he was sure. Would he be able to sleep without seeing that face in his nightmares?

He looked around for his clothing, seeing only shreds of black clothing and the useless remains of his belts. His katana was there, though, and that he picked up, bending with some difficulty. For a single, horrifying moment he thought he was going to have to go to Kurama's apartment in nothing but his skin, but then he spied his tattered cloak in a heap on the ground. He snatched it up and draped it around himself, clutching the material close.

He started walking then, blocking out the thoughts of how long it would take him to make it to Kurama's, and the pain that shot through his body with every step he took. Instead he focused on Kurama's arms around him that night after the marking, the concern in his voice.

"_Tell me who it was so I can kill that person."_

His legs wobbled dangerously, threatening to give out on him, and after only ten minutes of walking. There was so much further to go, and he knew he couldn't give up now. If he did, he'd bleed to death in out in the middle of nowhere. He didn't want to die.

He inhaled sharply at that thought. He didn't want to die. He wanted to live, he wanted to survive this and go on with his life. He wanted to kill that demon. He wanted to train and become stronger, strong enough to defeat anyone else who ever tried that.

A broken sob escaped him when he realized that more than anything, right now he wanted to feel Kurama's arms around him again.

_Please, just let me make it that far, _he begged whatever higher power was listening. _Don't let me die yet. I can't die without seeing him again. _

He soldiered on, and soon all that filled his brain was pain and the vague idea that he was headed somewhere important and he had to get there as soon as possible. One foot in front of the other, as he traveled down the highway, ignoring the random cars and the humans that rolled down their windows to call out and ask if he was okay.

_Not okay. Not ever okay again._

One foot in front of the other, as he made it into the downtown of the city. Yusuke and Kuwabara lived here, he thought to himself. He passed their old school. He had to keep going to uptown, where Kurama lived.

His foot snagged on a rock and he stumbled, toppling forward to collide harshly with the ground. He cried out as the pain increased. His ribs were broken from the beating… he hoped he hadn't punctured a lung with that fall.

_I should get up, _he thought to himself. But he couldn't find the energy to make himself move. He couldn't go any further, but he wanted to see Kurama. He held onto that thought, even as darkness took him again. He wanted Kurama.

--

"Hiei? Oi, shrimp, you awake yet? Rise and shine."

Hiei moaned at the sound of that grating voice. What was the oaf doing, disturbing his slumber? Stupid human, always making things inconvenient. He reached out and weakly swatted his hand in the general direction of Kuwabara's voice. A large hand gently caught his wrist.

Immediately, Hiei's eyes snapped open. He jerked his hand back, breathing in sharply. "Don't touch me!" he snarled, with every bit of venom he could muster, his eyes glaring daggers at the human. Kuwabara instantly backed off, frowning.

"Calm down, shrimp," the orange-haired human urged, turning his hands palm-up to show that he was harmless. "I'm just helping. You wanna' tell me what happened?"

Hiei scowled, having just realized that he was in Kuwabara's bed. He'd been bundled up in old blankets; he could see an old bloodstain on the one closest to his face. These blankets had probably been used for this sort of thing before. How many times had Kuwabara come home bleeding from a fight? Shizuru must have hated it, back when they were spirit detectives, when her little brother came back home seriously injured on a regular basis.

"Hiei?" Kuwabara spoke again. "You okay, man? Hey, look, I know we hate each other an' all, but you're really roughed up. I just wanna' help."

"K'rama…" Hiei mumbled, staring numbly at the bloodstain. He'd been trying to get to Kurama's apartment. That was where he was supposed to be. Kurama would know how to fix this. Kurama always knew what to do. "…want Kurama."

Kuwabara looked confused. "You want Kurama?" he repeated. He hadn't yet grasped just how badly damaged Hiei was. He was still under the impression that Hiei had just really lost a fight. "Why do want Kurama?"

"Please…" Hiei was not below begging at this point. He wanted Kurama now. He started to push himself up. "Have to… find him."

The human quickly moved to push him back down. "Hey, don't move so much, you're bleeding." His eye twitched when Hiei attempted to shake him off. "Listen to me, shrimp, I'm trying to do you a favor! Lay back down!"

Hiei flinched at the harsh tone and shrank back, his eyes wide. Kuwabara's own eyes widened and the boy let go. "Hey… you're really not okay, are you?" he asked, as gently as he could imagine. The question made Hiei's cheeks burn red with shame. He dropped his gaze to the floor.

"Kurama…" he repeated, his eyes starting to sting. But he wasn't going to cry. He never cried. And he couldn't cry now, because Kuwabara was there. If he cried, his tears would become gems, and Kuwabara would know who he was. And then Kuwabara would tell Yukina, and everything would be ruined. "I want Kurama… please…"

Kuwabara nodded and picked up the cordless phone from his bedside table, quickly dialing the number. "I'll get him, shrimp," he promised. "Just hang in there, okay? Hey, stop crying…"

"I'm not crying," Hiei snarled back, but even as he said it, black gems dropped to the mattress and rolled off onto the floor. "I never cry!" His body started to shake with sobs that he couldn't keep holding back. "Just… just… I have something… in my eyes…"

Kuwabara stared back in pity. Kurama greeted him on the other end of the phone with a polite "Hello?" and for a moment he forgot to respond. He heard the confused fox repeat the greeting in a questioning tone and he remembered that he'd called Kurama. "Hey, Kurama, it's Kuwabara. Umm, Hiei's at my house… He's really… I mean… can you just come? He really wanted me to get you."

"I'm coming," Kurama replied, far too quickly; as if he had an idea of what was wrong. "Tell Hiei I'm on my way." And then he hung up without another word. Numbly, Kuwabara put the phone back down on the table.

"He's coming," he told Hiei, who was still fighting to control his tears. The little demon looked up at him with painfully hopeful eyes.

"Thank you…" Hiei whispered with a hint of desperation in his tone. "Thank you."

"You're… welcome…" was all that Kuwabara could think to say in response.


	18. Prompt 18 Home Alone

A/N: Okay, so it's kind've the opposite of the actual prompt... bleh. Well, there's no rule that says it's gotta' make sense, right? Haha. Anyway, enjoy.

Title: Fading Light  
Rating: M  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: He tried to imagine that he was somewhere else.  
Prompt: Home Alone

(Sequel to Marked, Breaking Fire, and Something in My Eyes.)

"He's in my bedroom," Kuwabara directed the anxious fox. "He fell asleep after I called you. I don't know if I should have let him sleep, but… he looked like he needed it." The truth was he couldn't bear to see that broken look in Hiei's eyes. If Hiei was asleep, he didn't have to. He didn't have to wonder about what could have possibly hurt Hiei so badly.

Kurama nodded gratefully to him and hurried to the bedroom, all but yanking the bedroom door open. His expression was one of absolute calm, but his actions clearly spoke otherwise.

Curled up on the bed that was far too large for him and covered up with old blankets, Hiei looked like a small child. Not just in the sense that he was small in build, and delicate; but also in the sense that a child's mentality lay behind that cherubic face. Kurama knew that physically Hiei was barely older than such. As far as mentally went… well, Hiei had seen things that no child should see, but merely experiencing such things did not make him an adult.

As he approached the bed, crimson eyes opened to stare at him with an intense gaze. "Kurama," the broken boy whispered. He was whispering, Kurama realized, because his voice was too hoarse to do much more. "You came."

"Of course," Kurama murmured, reaching out to pet Hiei's hair soothingly. "You are my dearest friend, Hiei. Whenever you need me, I am here for you."

"Hold me," Hiei replied, so desperate for the embrace that he pushed his pride to the back of his mind and allowed Kurama to see his crumbling spirit. "I… I need something… to erase it all. Last time, it was better after you held me."

Kurama didn't hesitate. He gently gripped Hiei beneath his arms and pulled the little demon up into a tight hug. "How badly did he hurt you?" he questioned.

Hiei clung to him in return, hiding his face in the fox's shirt. He inhaled the scent of roses, allowing the familiar smell to ease his mind. Kurama would keep him safe. Kurama wanted to kill the demon. "I don't know," he mumbled. When it came to his injuries, it was all jumbled up uselessly in his mind. Which bones were broken? Where were all the rips and tears? Which eye had been blackened? "Everything hurts," he summed up, and could only wish that he was exaggerating.

"We need to get you cleaned up," the fox said softly, and he slowly lifted Hiei out from under the blankets and into his arms. Hiei's destroyed cloak slipped off his shoulders and to the ground, leaving his entire body exposed. "Hiei, your feet… they're all cut up," Kurama murmured. "How far did you walk?"

"From… Genkai's forests," the Jaganshi replied faintly. "Lost… my shoes."

"Inari, Hiei, how did you make it so far?" Kurama regarded the battered demon in his arms with amazement. "Your energy is so low, too…" Stepping out of the room, he called for Kuwabara as he made his way to the bathroom. "Would you fetch a first aid kit?" he asked the boy in a calm, businesslike tone, ignoring Kuwabara's horrified look at the sight of Hiei's damaged body. "I'm going to run a bath for him."

Kuwabara nodded; eager to get away from the terrible sight as soon as possible. Hiei's entire body was covered in cuts and bruises, like a grotesque jigsaw puzzle made up of pieces that didn't seem to quite fit together. "Sure. Should I call Yukina?"

"No!" Hiei's eyes shot open wide. "Fox, no, not Yukina. I don't want her here." Yukina couldn't see this. She couldn't see him broken and soiled like this. If he'd been an unsuitable brother before now, this made him completely worthless.

"Don't call Yukina," Kurama said to Kuwabara, before giving Hiei a small, reassuring smile. "I'll see what I can mend myself, and if there's anything life threatening, we'll contact Botan. Would that be suitable, Hiei?"

Hiei gave a soft groan. He'd wanted to avoid having anyone else see him, especially the girls. But he knew that some of his injuries were beyond Kurama's expertise, and to have them instantly healed would be a great relief. "… 'Kay," he mumbled reluctantly.

Kurama smiled softly, relieved. "Good choice," he murmured. He stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. Gingerly, he lowered Hiei into the bathtub and started the water. "Can you tell me what the worst injuries are?" he asked as he ran his fingers under the water to test the temperature.

"…Broke some ribs," Hiei replied, his voice dull and lifeless as his eyes. He stared blankly past Kurama at the bathroom wall. "Haven't really thought about the rest. It's all just… I don't know… hurts." There were other things he wanted to say. He wanted to tell Kurama how much better it was now that he was here. He wanted to tell Kurama that he was scared. He wanted to ask Kurama to make sure that demon wouldn't come back. But he couldn't make any of those things come out of his mouth.

The water slowly filled up the tub, and Hiei was too tired to even react to the pain it caused when it came into contact with his open wounds. Kurama procured a wash rag from under the sink and lathered it up with soap. "We'll address the injuries as we come to them, then," he said. "Try to relax. It's alright if you need more sleep."

He put an arm around Hiei's shoulders to support him and Hiei sagged against him, exhausted. "I thought I was dead," he spoke with sincerity. "I thought he was killing me." His words still came out like they were being rubbed against sandpaper, rough and raspy. It hurt his throat to speak. That was from screaming, he supposed.

"You will describe him to me later," Kurama murmured. There was no question in his tone, no gentle prodding. Just a simple statement. Hiei nodded, unwilling to fight Kurama.

"Of course," he said. He closed his eyes then, and tried to ignore Kurama's gentle touch as the kitsune washed away all of the pain. He tried to imagine that he was somewhere else, in Makai, perhaps, where he was wild and free. No one could touch him, and he could not touch anyone else.

A world that he could never have back.


	19. Prompt 19 Acceptance

Title: Acceptance Letter  
Rating: T  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "Yo, Kurama."  
Prompt: Acceptance

A/N: Okay, so I promised to update all my stories for the Holidays so here's one of the updates for From the Start, my drabble collection. I've had difficulty working with this particular plot, it doesn't especially like me, but I think I've finally got it beat. No, this isn't the next part of the Marked plot line but I'll continue that one soon, I promise.

**Acceptance Letter**

He left the letter laying out on his desk, held down by a paperweight, as he mulled over what, exactly, he should do about it. He'd neglected school for the last two years in favor of staying with his mother but… well, his mother was not especially pleased with his decision and the fact that such a prestigious college was so determined to enroll him as a student… it was something he really needed to consider before he made his decision.

"Yo, Kurama." Hiei slipped through the window like he always did, sitting himself down on Kurama's bed with a sigh. Hiei had no shame, of course. Kurama looked up from the letter in mild surprise and offered his companion a smile.

"Hiei," he greeted softly. "It's good to see you." Hiei only grunted in response before flopping backwards on the bed. "Tired?" the fox questioned. Hiei nodded, his eyes drifting closed. "Long day?" Kurama guessed and Hiei nodded again. "Eh, Hiei, do you only come around when you need something from me?"

Hiei opened one eye to look at Kurama. "Hn, of course. When I need conversation, companionship, healing. You are all purpose."

The fox laughed at that and shook his head. "Ah, what would you do if I wasn't around, Hiei?"

"Figure out where you went and track you down," Hiei answered with a shrug of his shoulders before shutting his eye again. "Why do you ask? Planning on leaving?"

Kurama's laughter came to an abrupt halt. "… Ah. Well, not really," he lied quietly. "I was just wondering."

* * *

When he finally came to his conclusion, Kurama could not bring himself to tell Hiei. He simply packed his things and went, without a word. So it was that Hiei arrived at his partner's window to find it locked from the inside. Perched on the ledge, he peered inside to find an empty bedroom. His tiny hands pressed against the glass as he stared in disbelief. Kurama was gone…

Several weeks later, Kurama had completely moved into his room on campus and was already becoming well acquainted with his classmates and roommate. Despite his ease and comfort with the transition, the guilt for not telling Hiei weighed heavily on him and he occasionally found himself zoning out during class, thinking about the demon.

After a particularly long day, the fox returned to his room, sliding his keycard and stepping in. He closed the door behind him and was taking off his shoes when he shivered, feeling a breeze coming in the window.

"Yo, Kurama." Kurama looked up instantly in surprise to see Hiei perched on the window ledge, smirking. "Stupid fox, took me ages to find you. What the hell was that for, eh? I told you I'd find you but I didn't expect you to actually disappear."

Relief filled Kurama as he gazed at his tiny friend. "Hiei," he murmured. "It's so good to see you."

~ End


	20. Prompt 20 Sunset

A/N: Okay, so this is more fluff... ^^;;; I'm in a fluffy mood lately! And this is one of those scenarios I always wanted to see at the end of the series (cause it totally happened, they just didn't let us see it, you know it xP). Anyway, I had fun writing this one. But not as much fun as I'll have with the next one. -laughs-

Title: Time for Other Things  
Rating: T  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "It's gotten to the point where I can finally… relax."  
Prompt: Sunset

Kurama thought the sun had set on his opportunity to confess his feelings to Hiei. He'd spent so long waiting for just the right moment and Mukuro, of all people, seemed to have jumped on the chance to take Hiei for her own. Even now that the tournament was over, Kurama hardly ever saw the demon because he was working under Mukuro now. He cursed himself for being a fool.

Yusuke brought him news of Hiei's absence from Mukuro's stronghold before Kurama saw his partner. Of course Hiei had to be cheeky enough to show up late for their little reunion but it didn't bother Kurama any. And as he expected, when he started back towards his home the little shadow showed up at his side. Hiei looked a little lost and confused, one hand resting lightly atop the tear gems hanging around his neck.

"She knows," the demon offered by way of explanation. Kurama nodded slightly. Somehow they'd both expected the whole thing to be more… dramatic. Perhaps tears and declarations of family love. Hiei was very quiet for a long time. Finally he said, "I don't… know if she likes it."

"She loves you," Kurama replied with certainty. "She wants you to come forward on your own."

Tiny shoulders slumped in defeat. "… I don't know if I can," he admitted. He looked… fearful. Kurama had never seen Hiei like that. He was cocky, full of himself. He never doubted his abilities in anything… anything except this.

Unable to resist, Kurama rested a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Anything worth having is worth fighting for, Hiei," he said, feeling hypocritical all the while. Hiei paused and looked up at him with wide, unblinking eyes.

"I don't like Mukuro," he stated suddenly, out of the blue, and Kurama blinked at him in shock for a moment. "… In case you were wondering," Hiei added lamely, hands twitching nervously at his sides.

Kurama took a few moments to digest this new information. "…You stayed with her for a long time," he reasoned. "I admit I've missed you here."

"I was required to work in Makai, since I lost the tournament," Hiei huffed in response. "I felt like I should serve a little of the time, at least. Besides, Mukuro is an amazing fighter. But I've grown bored with learning from her. I'm close to surpassing her now so I hardly see the point." He turned his elfin nose up in the air and Kurama fought the urge to lean down and kiss it.

This was a very important conversation, Kurama suddenly realized. Hiei was telling him… what, exactly? What was the little demon trying to say? "So… You're growing stronger than Mukuro…"

"You're not going to school?" Hiei asked. "Kuwabara said that you're working for your father. Are you very stable, then, financially?"

Kurama nodded slightly. "Yes, I've nearly saved up enough to buy my own house," he agreed, wondering why Hiei was asking about money, of all things.

"Ah. So am I. Financially stable, I mean." Hiei actually scuffed the toe of his boot against the ground in apparent anxiety. "It's gotten to the point where I can finally… relax." He looked up at Kurama expectantly. "I… have time for other things now."

"Other things…" Kurama gazed back into his eyes, entranced by the beautiful shimmer in those red garnet eyes. He leaned down slightly and Hiei stood to his fullest height.

Then their lips met, soft and chaste, for the first time. Kurama let the innocent kiss last only for a moment before he gently threaded his fingers into Hiei's hair and deepened the kiss. Hiei's arms reached up and looped around his neck as he responded.

Finally they broke away, both panting slightly, and Kurama smiled. "Oh, that's what you meant," he said, teasing slightly. "I wondered when we'd get around to this."

"Oh, I've had it on my To Do List," Hiei assured him with a cheeky smirk. "Among other things."

~End


	21. Prompt 21 Admire

Title: Blending In  
Rating: M  
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho  
Pairing: Kurama/Hiei  
Summary: "What are they all looking at?"  
Prompt: Admire

A/N: Sort of a sequel to Acceptance Letter. Mostly based on my hot Hiei bookmark that I am now the proud owner of. I'll eventually get a picture of it posted but I'll give you a quick description of what Hiei is wearing in the picture. Black pants, sleeveless black hoodie, blue vest overtop the hoodie, and some totally awesome hiking boots that I want. –drools-

Again, I apologize for the wait on Marked, I'll get to it. xP

**Blending In**

"Yo, Minamino-san! Watcha' up to tonight?"

Kurama paused to allow his classmate to catch up with him. "Hamasaki-san," he greeted the dark haired male that had jogged to catch up with them. "Actually, I'm meeting someone at the café. I'm afraid the rest of my evening has been promised to him. Did you have something in mind?"

"Ah, not much, some of us were just gonna' hang out at my place and watch some movies," the youth replied, looking somewhat disappointed. "Say, who is this guy you hang out with all the time? You said the same thing yesterday when Kita-san asked you to go with her to the park. And last week you said you couldn't come to Fujimoto's birthday party." His eyes widened. "Oh, hey, is it your boyfriend?!"

Despite never having received Kurama's confirmation on the matter, all of his college friends were convinced that he was gay. Kurama supposed it was a reasonable conclusion for them to make. He was feminine, organized, soft spoken, and not at all interested in the many girls that were interested in him.

He smiled in amusement at Hamasaki's assumption. "… I suppose you could call him that. You are welcome to come with me and meet him, Hamasaki-san."

Of course, the boy jumped on the opportunity with an energetic nod. "Yeah, of course! I gotta' see this mystery guy!"

Hiei was waiting at the café just like he'd promised. He'd seated himself in the back, secluded, but he'd ordered himself a coffee, which he was contentedly sipping at. Kurama was secretly pleased that Hiei had actually gone in and ordered something. He remembered a time when it would have been nearly impossible to get Hiei inside a café.

"Hiei," he greeted as he approached. Hiei looked up from his coffee and glanced questioningly at Hamasaki. Kurama followed his gaze. "Ah, Hiei, this is my classmate, Hamasaki-san. He and I take our mathematics class together."

"Nice to meet you, Hiei-san," Hamasaki spoke up but he had a quite perplexed expression on his face. He bowed slightly to Hiei, who simply grunted in return and nodded his head slightly. Hamasaki leaned closer to Kurama and whispered, "Uh… how old is he?"

"Old enough," Hiei spoke up, narrowing his eyes slightly. Hamasaki jumped in surprise and Hiei smirked. "Oi, Kurama, let's get out of this place." He stood up from the booth, providing full view of himself.

In the last couple of years, Hiei had grown several inches, though he was still tiny in comparison to most. In an attempt to blend in with humans, he'd dressed in a more modern outfit. Kurama ran an appreciative eye over the nicely fitted black jeans and shirt. The shirt's top button was undone to reveal just a little more of Hiei's chest than was normally viewable and Kurama so this as a rare treat.

"Certainly, Hiei," he replied, looping an arm around Hiei's waist just to see the flabbergasted expression on Hamasaki's face. Hiei frowned slightly at the action but allowed it, moving a little closer to Kurama. "I suppose we'll be on our way, Hamasaki-san. I'll see you in class tomorrow?"

"Uh… yeah…" Hamasaki was still staring wide eyed at Hiei.

As the pair exited the café, Hamaski wasn't the only one focused on them. "Wow, they make a hot couple," Kurama overheard one girl whisper to her friend. It certainly fed Kurama's ego. He decided to offer the girls just a little bit of fan service and leaned down to press a quick kiss to Hiei's cheek.

"What was that for?" Hiei wanted to know, looking annoyed and confused at the same time. Kurama never kissed him in public. Hiei was all for blending in but he really was not ready for physical contact in public just yet. "And what are they all looking at?" He spared a paranoid glance over his shoulder.

_Your ass, _Kurama thought but he kept it to himself. "Oh, don't worry about it, Hiei. By the way, I love those boots you're wearing."

~End


End file.
